Orange tree named `Sweet Martin`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of navel orange tree, having a maturity period in the early season, as much as two weeks before its parent Washington Navel, at which time both its color and soluble solids/acid ratios is superior to other early varieties, without loss of desirable eating qualities and having large fruit with thick skin, making it more durable, sweet tartness, firm texture and excellent flavor, all of which contributes to its desirablity for eating.

BACKGROUND OF THE VARIETY

The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of navelorange, which I refer to as "Sweet Martin", displaying early maturity,both in color and soluble solids/acid ratios, having a smaller welldeveloped and more deeply imbedded navel opening, making it morecosmetically acceptable, and having the characteristics of maturing inthe early season. This variety was developed from a spontaneous sportlimb.

ORIGINAL AND ASEXUAL REPRODUCTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

This novel orange was derived from a grove situated in Sanger, Calif.,which was planted between 1958 and 1962. As the trees reached maturityand started bearing fruit, a spontaneous sport limb was discovered onwhich the fruit gained color before the rest of the tree and the rest ofthe grove. The particular tree in question was planted in 1962 onTrifoliate orange rootstock and budded to an Old Line Washington navelorange cultivar.

This early maturing branch was marked and monitored each year todetermine any abnormalities that might otherwise make it distinctive ornovel.

During the blossom period to the preharvest fall months, no distinctivedifferences were noted until color break appeared, usually mid-October.This particular fruit was on schedule with the remainder of the grove,but upon daily inspection, it was noted that in the month of coloringthis fruit accelerated and in a period of ten days it had gone from ayellow-green to orange color, while the remainder of the grove was atleast two weeks later in coloring. This phenomenon was observed for asufficient period to prove to be consistent.

In February 1985, three Troyer rootstock seedlings were acquired fromMcEwan Nursery in the Visalia, Calif. area. These seedlings were oneyear old and were planted in the subject orange grove.

In April 1985, three buds from the sport branch were removed andinserted into the Troyer seedlings. Two additional Troyer rootstockseedlings were acquired and planted in January 1986 and in April of thatyear these two seedlings were budded from the sport branch.

These five trees of the new variety have been growing in the orchard andthe oldest have produced fruit for the past three season. All five treesare true to the parent bud sport and the fruit colors about two weeks inadvance of the remainder of the grove.

On Oct. 25, 1988, fruit was delivered to the Bee Sweet CitrusPackinghouse in Fowler, Calif. for testing. The new early variety tested10.1 on the soluble solids/acid ratio, while fruit from the remainder ofthe grove tested 7.8 soluble solids/acid ratio. Fruit samples were againdelivered to Bee Sweet Packing for testing on Oct. 29, 1989. The newearly variety tested 10.2 soluble solids/acid ratio, while the remainderof the grove tested 7.9 soluable solids/acid ratio.

A test was conducted by Bee Sweet Citrus on Oct. 27, 1990 with theirportable testing unit in the grove. The new variety tested 8.0 soluablesolids/acid ratio, while the remainder of the grove tested 7.1 soluablesolids/acid ratio.

A second test done in the grove with this new orange on Nov. 5, 1990,produced an 8.8 soluable solids/acid ratio. It should be noted thatother early varieties of navel oranges are able to test because the pulplacks acid, thus lacking the tartness that consumers so desire. This newvariety is quite tart, yet sweet, much earlier in the season.

Fruit samples of this new variety were taken to Bee Sweet Citrus Packingwhere it was "sweat for color" for 72 hours. The fruit was colored toMaerz & Paul, 2d Ed., plate 9, 9-K. Other early navel varieties (TuleGold) that had been picked on the same date and "sweated" for 96 hourscolored Maerz & Paul, 2d Ed., plate 9, 5-L.

The new variety fruit picked on Nov. 17, 1990 was placed in cold storageuntil Jun. 12, 1991, and was found free of breakdown with no loss offruit due to bacterial invasion. The pulp remained fresh and sweet, andwide commercial acceptance is anticipated since tests show that thefruit handles and stores well while retaining its distinctively bettercolor.

The new variety is very compatible when budded to Troyer rootstock andproduces a uniquely smooth bud union, practically undetectable; aftersix years no bud union disorders are observed.

One hundred fruit of the new variety and 100 fruit of the remainder ofthe grove were inspected at random for enlarged or protruding navel endsin November 1990. Seventy two fruit of the new variety had navelopenings smaller than 1/4 inch where only 48 fruit from the remainder ofthe grove had this characteristic, making the new variety morecosmetically acceptable and improving the pack out values.

SUMMARY OF THE VARIETY

The instant variety, developed through the above method, was singled outby virtue of its unique and novel characteristics in that it matures,both in color and soluable solids/acid ratios, a minimum of two weeksbefore the conventional parent Washington navel cultivar without loss ofthe desirable eating qualities of the parent varieties. An added benefitif that it typically matures and is available prior to Federal MarketingOrders becoming effective. This, in addition to excellent harvesting,handling, packing and cold storage characteristics, make it competitivewith parent varieties harvested in mid-December.

Also, when compared with earlier varieties such as Tule Gold and SkaggsBonanza, it has superior color and eating qualities. Its handlingcharacteristics are, likewise, superior in that it resists splittingduring handling and spotting during the sweating operation. This newvariety tends to have good acid in the early part of the season.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawing illustrates typical specimens of the fruit andfoliage of my new variety as grown in the San Joaquin Valley ofCalifornia. Four specimens are shown, one of which is in the sideelevation; one from the apex view; one from the distol view illustratingthe navel; and a specimen in a section side elevation illustrating theinternal texture and color of the flesh.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of my new variety. Each colorreference is with respect to the Maerz and Paul Dictionary of Colors,except in instances where terminology having generally accepted meaningis employed.

Parentage: Old Line Washington Navel and Trifoliate orange rootstock.

Budding: Scions of this plant have shown excellent graft compatibilityon Troyer citrage rootstocks to a point that the graft union becomesinconspicuous within a few years. Clones of the tree have been observedto reliably maintain the distinguishing characteristics of the treethrough several generations of trees attained by budding.

Locality where grown and observed: Near Sanger, County of Fresno, Calif.

TREE

Size: Normal as compared with other orange cultivars.

Vigor: Vigorous, production. A 30-year old parent tree has a trunkcircumference below the bud union of 271/2 inches as compared with 111/2inches on the 7-year old new variety and a circumference above the budunion of 131/2 inches as compared with 91/2 inches on the new variety.Average length of new terminal shoots is 22 inches.

Shape: Bushy with well rounded top -- normal with other orangecultivars.

Productivity: Considered good as compared with other navel treevarieties. Unlike Old Line Washington Navels which show strongtendencies to bear heavy and light in alternate years, the new varietyappears to have no heavy or light bearing seasons as to the volume ornumbers of fruit, but bears consistently.

Regularity of bearing: consistent to other navel varieties.

Trunk: Extremely smooth bud union.

Diameter in relation to length.--23/8 inches (6.03 cm.) diameter; 23inches (58.42 cm.) in length.

Surface characteristics.--Color, plate 23A-1; smooth to slightlyabrasive.

Canopy and height.--The parent tree has a canopy diameter of 9 feet 10inches with a height of 11 feet 4 inches as compared to the new variety,having an average canopy diameter of 4 feet 2 inches and a height of 7feet 2 inches.

Branches:

Size.--Average when compared with the parent tree.

Surface character.--Surface texture of branches is identical to that ofthe trunk. There is an absence of thorns, which is a significantdifference from the parent tree and Old Line Washington Navel variety.

Color.--Plate 23A-1.

Lenticels.--Irregular patterns. Number: 600 to 800 observed on immaturebranches. Size: Globose in shape; 0.0156 inches (0.39 mm) in diameter.

Thinning requirements.--The new variety has a definite tendency toproduce a vertical structure as opposed to a bush type canopy in theparent, thus allowing for less pruning and shaping of the tree in itsearly years to remove the skirts from the ground. Only after the fifthor sixth year does the new variety take up a bushy appearance and anincrease in diameter of the canopy. Early season aborted fruit is lessthan the parent, partially because of few flowers and the tendency forflowers to appear on new terminals where the leaves outnumber theflowers.

Leaves:

Size.--Average.

Length.--31/2 to 5 inches (8.89 cm. to 12.7 cm.).

Width.--2 to 23/8 inches (5.08 cm. to 6.2 cm.).

Shape.--Elliptic to oblong, ovate.

Venation.--Midrib to margin.

Color.--New Flush Growth: Upward disposed surface, Plate 22 7-L;downward disposed surface, plate 18 9-J.

Older mature.--Upward disposed surface, Plate 23 10-J; downward disposedsurface, Plate 21 7-L.

Marginal form.--Smooth to slightly serrated.

Glandular characteristics.--Globose stomata, irregular spacing.

Petiole.--Shape: Winged. Length: 5/8 to 7/8 inches (1.59 cm. to 2.22cm.). Thickness: 5/16 to 7/16 inches (0.8 cm. to 1.11 cm.).

Stem glands.--Number: 600 to 800 per square inch. Arrangement:Irregular. Size: 0.0156 inches (0.39 mm.). Type (Globose and Reniform):Globose. Color: Plate 21, J-7.

Stipules.--Normal with other navel cultivars.

Flower buds:

Size.--5/32 to 1/4 inches in diameter, may be elongated to 7/16 inchesin length.

Shape.--Globose to slightly elongated.

Surface.--Smooth.

Other distinguishing characteristics.--Color.--Plate 9A-1.

Flowers:

Date of bloom.--Variable. From first to third week in April.

Size.--Variable. Between 5/8 and 7/8 inches in length.

Color.--Petal, Plate 9A-1; Septal, Plate 9K-1; Floral Disc, Plate 10F-1;Stamen, Plate 19A-1.

Anthers.--Plate 18K-1.

Other distinguishing characteristics.--Old Line Washington Navels have atendency to bloom heavy (pop corn bloom) and light in alternatingseasons. The new variety has a more consistent all over flower set withless clustering of flowers and more flowering on the interior of thetrees.

Fruit:

Maturity.--Early, mid to late October.

Size.--Uniformity: Globose to depressed globose. Fruit of the newvariety is larger than the parent, exhibiting better than averageuniformity at harvesting as to color, size, shape and ripeness.Diameter: 23/8 to 3 inches.

Form.--Uniformity: Average. Symmetrical: Average Ventral surface:Rounded, but occasionally slightly flat. Stem Cavity: Rounded, 7/32inches diameter, 1/16 inch deep. Base: Rounded to slightly flat at navelopening. Apex: Slightly rounded. Navel ends: Navel ends are small, withapproximately 72% being less than one-quarter inch, well developed andmore deeply embedded than the parent, being flat with the surface of thepeel. When exposed, the navel ends are flower shaped and very uniform.Stem: Length: Average -- 1/2 inch. Caliper: 1/8 inch diameter.

Skin.--Thickness: Average -- 7/32 to 9/32 inches. Texture: Smooth toslightly dimpled, glabrous, almost waxy in appearance. Tendency tocrack: Average Color: Plate 10, G-9. Pubesence: None. Oil glands: Oilglands number 55-80 cm. sq., consistent in size and randomly spaced (notuniform as appearing in rows), mature fruit having a color of Plate12-J7 and Plate 19-G5 on immature fruit.

Flesh.--Color: Plate 10, L-7. Seeds: Seeds have been observed in asparse and random distribution; considered to be seedless, as is the OldLine Washington Navel. Juice: Average. Segments: Number range 10-12,average 11 as compared with the parent variety having an average of 9 to10. Segments are more easily separated than on the parent tree. Flavor:Mild, sweet and slightly tart. Texture: Firm, segmented and easilyseparated. Fibers: None. Ripening: Even.

On tree storage: Good to excellent characteristics into early May of thefollowing season with no tendency to regreen and the peel maintaining ayouthful appearance.

Use: Principally fresh eating orange.

Keeping quality: Excellent.

Shipping quality: Excellent.

Resistance to disease: Similar to other varieties of navel oranges.

Although this novel variety of orange tree possesses the describedcharacteristics as a result of the growing conditions in Fresno County,Calif., in the central portion of the San Joaquin Valley, it is to beunderstood that variations of the usual magnitude in characteristicsincident to growing conditions, fertilization, pruning and pest controlare to be expected.

Having thus described and illustrated my new variety of orange tree,what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patentis:
 1. A new and distinct variety of navel orange tree, as described andillustrated, having no thorns, having a maturity period in the earlyseason, both in color and soluable solids/acid ratios, and without lossof desirable eating qualities and having superior color, and havinglarge fruit with thick skin, small, embedded navel ends, ease of segmentseparation, sweet tartness, firm texture and excellent flavor.